Lufthansa Cargo has from 18 February commenced freighter flights from Milan to New York and Chicago. The twice-weekly service from Milan- Malpensa Airport is to be operated by an MD-11 freighter.
Lufthansa Cargo Chairman Carsten Spohr said: “Italy is Europe’s major airfreight market after Germany. The new freighter service will allow Lufthansa Cargo to further entrench its leading position in Italy and offer direct flights on cargo aircraft from Italy to the USA. The Lufthansa Cargo Group with Jade Cargo International is already connecting the Italian market with direct flights to industrial centres in Asia.”
Lufthansa Cargo said it “took over leadership in the airfreight business to and from Italy in the fourth quarter 2008,” which coincides with the grounding of Altitalia’s cargo division. Lufthansa Cargo also offers the Italian market belly capacities on Lufthansa passenger aircraft and the cargo capacities on Lufthansa Italia flights within Europe and can also utilise the capacities on four weekly flights operated with Boeing 747-400 freighters by its Chinese airfreight subsidiary Jade Cargo International to Brescia from Shenzhen and Shanghai.